The Courtroom

After giving Fred and Ethel Mertz a new television set for their anniversary, Desi tries to improve its’ reception and winds up breaking the set. Fred retaliates, and kicks in the screen of the Ricardos set, which lands them all up in court, where the judge tries to restore friendship – until his television set is brought out to use in a demonstration …

This is a gem of an episode in many ways. It gives Desi Arnaz an opportunity to showcase his own comic talent as he and Lucy move the new television up and down stairs, as well as setting up a classic Ricardo versus Mertz confrontation, in addition to the hilarious court testimony that both sides give – until the judge warns them about the punishment for perjury, at which point their memories suddenly “clarify.”

Quotes from I Love Lucy – The Courtroom

Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): [moving the new TV set down the stairs] Ricky, all the weight’s on this end!Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): It can’t be on both ends!

Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) [practising]: Now Mrs. Ricardo, tell us in your own words, what happened on the night in question.Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Well, uh, we went down to the Mertzes and …Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): No, no, no. In your own words that I wrote for you!